New Delhi: Doubting the Centre's intention in delaying the cross-examination of its financial witnesses, Tehelka news portal has asked the Venkataswami Commission to modify its earlier order and recall the government witnesses for cross-examination before considering any submissions.

Tehelka Managing Editor Tarun Tejpal, in an affidavit before the Commission, which will resume its hearing from tomorrow (Nov 18) after a break of nearly one-and-a-half months, said besides other allegations the Centre has charged "that the entire operation has been undertaken to earn a few crores (of rupees) at the stock market".

"Tehelka, on the other hand, will establish that all these conspiracy theories were invented to shield the guilty and more than one conspiracy theory was invented in an effort to ensure that at least one of the theories would stick and raise a suspicion on the veracity of the (Tehelka) tapes," Tejpal said.

The Commission on September 30 had ordered the counsel appearing in the proceedings to submit written arguments on "all aspects" except "financial aspect" by tomorrow.

Tejpal claimed that during the first two days of cross-examination, one Shanker, produced by the Centre as witness in financial aspect, contradicted himself on dozens of occasions and it was known to everyone that allegations of motives against Tehelka and its stakeholder First Global, owned by Shanker Sharma, would "collapse like a pack of cards".

"It is therefore imperative that the evidence on the financial aspects be completed first, as the evidence on this aspect goes to the root of the case," Tejpal said.

"It became clear that the allegations made in Shanker's affidavit had been made at the behest of someone else and not on the basis of his investigations. It also became clear that his investigations on behalf of the Income Tax department were malafide and motivated and made only for the purpose of filing these affidavits before the Commission," Tejpal's affidavit said.

Submitting that there was a "direct and an alive link between the allegations made on the financial aspects and the other evidence concerning the veracity of the tapes", the affidavit said, "in any case, there is no justification for the indefinite postponement of the cross-examination of the government witnesses."

Further proceedings of the Commission on other aspects should take place only after the evidence on the financial aspects has been completely recorded, the affidavit demanded.

"In these circumstances, the malafides and motives of the government in making these allegations against Tehelka, as would appear from the cross-examination of its witnesses, would be highly relevant even for the purpose of deciding other issues, which are before the Commission," the affidavit submitted.

PTI